What are hazardous substance and chemical standards in ensuring safety at construction sites in Vietnam?

What are hazardous substance and chemical standards in ensuring safety at construction sites in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Subsection 2.18.4, Section 2 of the National technical regulation on safety in construction QCVN 18:2021/BXD promulgated together with Circular 16/2021/TT-BXD stipulating hazardous and toxic air standards in ensuring safety at construction sites as follows:

2.18.4.1 Employers must notify, disseminate, and instruct (see 2.18.4.6) to let employees know about dangerous substances and chemicals (see 1.4.7) present or used on the working sites.

NOTE 1: Organizations and individuals that design, manufacture, and supply supplies, materials, components, products and equipment for construction sites must provide information on the presence of hazardous substances and chemicals to the employers.

NOTE 2: Competent authorities and professional organizations need to find out and provide information to relevant organizations and individuals about new (or newly discovered) hazardous substances and chemicals that have been put into use. present) in imported or domestically produced supplies, materials, components, products and equipment.

2.18.4.2 The transportation, storage and use of hazardous substances and chemicals on the construction site must fully comply with the provisions of the law on chemicals, environmental protection and other relevant specialized laws.

NOTE: The detailed requirements for safety in production, trading, use, storage and transportation of dangerous chemicals are specified in QCVN 05A:2020/BCT.

2.18.4.3 The use and disposal of materials, products, vehicles (bags, packages, barrels, boxes, bottles) used to contain dangerous substances and chemicals must comply with the provisions of the law on protection environment, chemicals and QCVN or competent authorities.

NOTE 1: The list of environmental QCVNs is mentioned in 1.3.1.

NOTE 2: The safety regulation in the use, storage and transportation of dangerous chemicals must comply with the provisions of QCVN 05A:2020/BCT and other relevant QCVNs.

2.18.4.4 Vehicles containing dangerous substances and chemicals must have labels clearly stating the substances and chemicals inside and their characteristics, warnings, instructions for safe use (including measures and procedures for safe handling in case of spills, leaks and spills) according to regulations.

2.18.4.5 The manufacturer's instructions for use and safe handling procedures must be strictly followed in case of spills, or leaks,.

2.18.4.6 Notices on hazardous substances and chemicals on the construction site must be arranged at conspicuous positions at the workplace, on the construction site and must be clearly understood by employees.

NOTE: The list of dangerous and prohibited substances and chemicals is specified in the Appendix to Decree No. 113/2017/ND-CP dated October 9, 2017 of the Government on detailed regulations and guidelines on implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Chemicals.

2.18.4.7 The use of hazardous substances and chemicals in construction must give priority to measures other than spraying (such as using brushes or rollers).

2.18.4.8 In case it is mandatory to use toxic and volatile substances, chemicals and solvents for dilution and paint, the overall and local ventilation must be ensured. If ventilation is not guaranteed or cannot be done, respiratory protection and other chemical safety measures must be used.

NOTE 1: Chemical protection measures must be strictly applied in cases where chemicals are heated or chemicals are used in confined spaces.

NOTE 2: Paints and adhesives containing toxic substances and chemicals should be used that are easily soluble in water.

What are standards on the use of hazardous substances and chemicals in ensuring safety at construction sites in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Subsection 2.18.4.9, Section 2 of the National technical regulation on safety in construction QCVN 18:2021/BXD promulgated together with Circular 16/2021/TT-BXD stipulating standards on the use of hazardous substances and chemicals in ensuring safety at construction sites in Vietnam as follows:

2.18.4.9 When using dangerous substances and chemicals, employees must:

a) Avoid skin contact with dangerous substances and chemicals, especially those that can penetrate through the skin (e.g. some wood preservatives) or can cause dermatitis (e.g. wet cement);

b) Personal hygiene, clothes and tools must be cleaned immediately after performing work related to dangerous substances and chemicals.

NOTE Allergies or dermatitis due to certain substances can be minimized by the use of other additives (these additives can be introduced from the manufacturing stage; for example, adding ferrous sulfate to cements and cement products containing hexavalent chromium).

2.18.4.10 For carcinogenic substances and chemicals that have been declared by competent authorities (for example, asphalt, asbestos fibers, some heavy oils and some other solvents), measures must be taken. strictly to avoid skin contact or inhalation of them.

NOTE: In addition to substances and chemicals that have been declared carcinogenic, special attention should be paid to substances and chemicals that have been shown to be carcinogenic.

Best regards!